Proposed trade for All-Star forward will set the Hornets back

It has been long since the Charlotte Hornets traded for an All-Star caliber player. The last time it probably happened was when the franchise acquired Eddie Jones in 1999.

That doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon, as the ideal course of action for the Hornets today is to stay patient and not rush their rebuilding efforts.

The good news for the organization and its fans is that the roster has plenty of promising pieces, including a core group of 23-and-under players.

A question probably for the team now is whether it’s time to reinforce its foundation with a star who has the potential to take the franchise to the next level.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tried to answer that question by crafting a three-team mock trade involving the Hornets, New York Knicks, and Washington Wizards. The deal would have Charlotte letting go of Josh Green, Cody Martin, Nick Richards, and Grant Williams and bringing in Julius Randle, Jericho Sims, Corey Kispert, and Marvin Bagley III.

Of course, the big-ticket name in that blockbuster trade would be Randle, who already has three All-Star berths on his resume and has been key to the Knicks’ renaissance in recent years.

Given that New York is one of the favorites to challenge the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference crown, it might seem counter-intuitive for the Knicks to let go of Randle. However, Pincus noted that the 2021 Most Improved Player awardee has a massive contract with a player option for the 2025-26 campaign that may be misaligned with the team’s long-term plans.

In addition, New York has a great need for another center after losing Isaiah Hartenstein to free agency, and Richards has been raised as a possible trade target.

Charlotte might want to capitalize on the Knicks’ desperate search for a big man, but Randle, among others, is probably not the best return it can get in exchange for losing Richards and a few more rotation pieces.

Some may argue that the Hornets have not had a power forward/center as elite as Randle for the longest time. The 2014 No. 7 pick, who has averaged 23.3 points and 5.0 assists per game in the last four seasons, could also turn out to be the answer to the squad’s offensive woes.

However, Randle doesn’t raise Charlotte’s ceiling that much. It’s worth noting that there’s not much incentive for the team to gun for a low playoff seed because doing so would entail losing its lottery-protected first-round pick in what is anticipated to be a loaded 2025 draft.

Instead, the Hornets might be better off focusing on the development of their young players this year. But with Randle on the roster, such a course of action doesn’t make sense because having a ball-dominant scorer could mean fewer touches for Ball and Brandon Miller.

So, unless Ball, Miller, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams prove they are ready to transform Charlotte into a legitimate contender, the organization should steer clear of the blockbuster trade front.